Weighted wood head for golf clubs



July 24, 1956 BITTNER WEIGHTED woon HEAD FOR GOLF CLUBS A Filed NOV. 28. 1951 Lows Bl'rTNER mA/MHA/iy WEIGHTED WOOD HEAD FOR GOLF CLUBS Louis Bittner, Elmhurst, N. Y.

Application November 28, 1951, Serial No. 258,591 1 claim. (c1. 27s- 171) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in a golf club.

More specifically, the present invention proposes certain improvements in that type of golf club commonly referred to as a woodl which makes it possible to vary the weight of the head of the yclub in accordance with the particular needs of a golfer and which makes it possible to more easily properly align the head of the club with the golf ball which is to be struck to have the ball take the intended path of flight.

Still further, the present invention proposes mounting a sole plate on the bottom of a golf club head in position over a hollow formed in the bottom of the head and which plate has a threaded aperture arranged concentric with the hollow in a manner to threadedly receive different sized weights for adjusting the weight of the head in accordance with the needs of the golfer.

nited States Patent O F Another object of the present invention proposes forming the head with an inclined striking surface which is reinforced over the center of its vertical height byva metallic striking plate which is removable to be interchanged with a new striking plate to renew the striking surface when its atness has been destroyed by repeated use in hitting golf balls.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the striking plate so that its vertical height will be greater than that of the striking surface to have its top edge portion extend above the normal top edge of the striking surface so as to thereby increase the vertical extent of the center portion of the striking surface, reducing the golfers tendency to bottom the golf ball.

The present invention further proposes forming the top of the golf club head with a raised rib which is inclined upwardly to the top surface of the striking plate in a manner to reinforce the top portion of the striking plate where it projects above the normal top edge of the striking surface.

A further object of the present invention proposes extending the raised rib at substantially right angles to the striking surface in a manner to be parallel with the path of flight of a ball struck by the head and so serve to initially assist in properly aligning the striking surface with the golf ball to obtain the desired path of iiight when the stroke is made.

It is a further object of the present invention to construct a golf club of the type described which is simple and durable, which is effective for its intended purposes and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

On the accompanying drawing forming a material part of the present disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a golf club constructed in accordance with the present invention.

"ice

FigZis a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom elevational View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional View of th head of the club taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The golf club, according to the present invention, is a so-called wood and has a head 10 at the lower end of the handle or shaft 11 which is only partially shown on the drawing. The head 10 is formed of wood and is joined to the bottom end of the shaft 11 in any known manner. The formation of the shaft 11 and the manner of attaching the head 10 thereto form no part of the present invention and, therefore, will not be described in greater detail in this specification.

The head 10 has a flat bottom surface 12 and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined striking surface 14. It is appreciated, of course, that the inclination of the striking surface 14 will vary in different clubs so as to vary the loft that will be given to a struck ball. The striking surface 14 is roughened and/or decorated by vertically spaced horizontally extended serrations 15.

Set onto the flat bottom face of the head 10, there is a metallic sole plate 16 removably secured in position by conventional wood screws 17. The head 10 is formed with a hollow or -cavity 18 closed by the sole plate 16 and concentric with the hollow 18, the sole plate is formed with a shouldered threaded aperture 19. The soleplate 16 carries an interchangeable weight 20. The weight 20 is threaded into the aperture 19 to extend into the hollow 18, as best shown in Fig. 4. The bottom of the weight 20 is flush with the bottom of the sole plate 16 and is formed with a rounded groove 21 for receiving the edge of a coin to be used for turning the weight 2t) into and out of the aperture 19. Thus, it is apparent that the weight 20 can be removed to be interchanged with weights of different sizes for adjusting the weight of the yclub to meet the'particular requirements of the golfer.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the shoulder of the sole plate 16, abutted by the weight 20, is diverged downwardly and outwardly and the complementary periphery of the weight is converged downwardly and inwardly. That relationship between the sole plate 16 and the weight 20 leaves a groove 20EL all about the weight 20 permitting easy removal of grass or other substance which may clog the contacting surfaces of the weight and the sole plate and make it diliicult to remove the weight when desired.

At its end remote from the striking surface 14, the sole plate 16 is formed with three spaced rearwardly extended ngers 16a, see Fig. 3, each secured in position by one of the screws 17. Between the fingers 16a, the head 10 is formed with notches 22 for relieving the weight of the rear side of the head 10 to obtain better weight distribution regardless of the size of the weight 20 carried by the sole plate. In addition, the notches 22 allow for leeway on the back swing in heavy grass.

Set into the striking surface 14 of the head 10 midway of its sides, there is a metallic striking plate 23. The striking plate 23 is molded of brass or other noncorrosive metal. The sole plate 16 and the weights 20 are formed of the same non-corrosive metal. The striking plate 23 is removably secured in position by conventional wood screws 24 to be removable for replacement after repeated contact with golf balls has destroyed the atness of that striking plate.

The striking plate 23 is of a vertical height greater than the vertical extent of the respective center portion of the striking surface 14 to have a top portion 23a extended above the normal top edge of the striking surface. The top of the head 10 is formed with an upwardly projected rib 25 which is inclined upward to the top edge of the striking plate 23 where it projects above the normal top edge of the striking surface 14. The increased vertical 3 height ofthe strikingplate 23 increases the verticala height of the effective center portion of the striking surface so as to reduce the golfers tendency to bottom the ball which seems to be the more common tendency than topping the ball.

The rib 25 functionto "reinforce the upwardly-projectedtop portion 23a of the striking plate 23. In" addition, the rib 25 is extended from the back of the Ystriking plate 23 at substantially'right angles to the striking surface 14 to be parallel with the patl1`of flight of a 'ball struck by the head 410. The normalpa'th ofp'ight'of the ball is indicatedonFig. 2 by the dot and dash lineA. Thus, improperly aligning the head '10`of the clubwith the ball to obtain the 'proper 4direction of 'flight vvitV 'is merelyne'cessa'ry to locate the head 10 behind the ball with the rib 2S extended parallel to the "path'of flight whichiit is intended'tohav'e the'ball take. The rib 25 being on top of the yhead 10, it is Yplainly visible at all times to the golferfor properly directingthe head 4prior toA the start of the stroke.

From the foregoing description, it isapparentthat the present invention provides a novel 'golf clubwhich in addition to having a head whose weight can be adjusted to meet the particular requirements of the golfer, has two other features that are of great assistance in improving ones game, making it possible to shoot in 'the low scores." The first of those important features is the striking plate of increased height which reduces the golfers tendency to bottom a ball even with a stroke that will dig a divot`of considerable proportions in the turf. Secondly, the use of the rib for reinforcing the increased height of the striking plate provides a convenient means forproperly valigning the head of the club with the ball to obtain the desired path of flight from the struck'ball.

It is to be understood'that the screw weights 20 may be used in all types of golf club heads for changing the weight thereof.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood' that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the rightis reserved to all changesand modications coming within the scope of theiinventi'on as set forth in the appended claim.

-Havingthus^described `my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a golf club, an oblong wooden head having a at and slightly lofted striking surface and having a flat bottom surface with a transversely disposed recessed portion therein, said recessedtportion having a centrally dis posed circular counterbored portion and a concentrically arranged cavity, vthe bottom `and rear surfacesof said head having elongated spaced communicating tapered notches, a sole plate embedded in and fastened to the transverse recessed vportion Vwith an internally screwthreaded central ringed portion in the counterbored portion of the recessed portion, an externally screw-threaded interchangeable weight member threaded into said ringed portion of the sole plate and extending into said cavity, the outer surface of said weight member being ilush with the outer 'surfaceof the sole-plate and having a curved slot to receive a tool for turning the same, said sole plate having spaced `slots inits rear end overlying and communicating with the spaced notches in the bottom and rear surfaces of the Vhead to facilitate the backward swing of the club head' through the grass.

References Cited in the'le of this patent lUNITED STATES PATENTS D. 84,525 `Klin June 30, 1931 1,319,802 Shea Oct. 28, 1919 1,331,499 Hartford Feb. 24, 1920 1,420,946 Rodwell June 27, 1922 1,444,409 Willmott Feb. 6, 1923 `1,503,291 `Rimmer July 29, 1924 1,511,479 Kelly Oct. 14, 1924 1,515,390 Hubbard Nov. 11, 1924 Y1,574,213 Tyler Feb. 23, 1926 1,913,821 Stumpf June 13, 1933 2,457,084 Kearsley Dec. 21, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS GreatBritainI Jan. 28, 1930 

